Jutze 52 #15 – Cleaning

This song was put together in a hurry. I had big plans but not nearly enough time. I wanted to make two songs, a funny one with lyrics and a moody instrumental – one would have been put on the left stereo channel, the other on the right stereo channel. I had no idea how to write such a thing, which was the first obstacle. Then, I failed to come up with any lyrics beyond two simple lines. Yep, the ones that are repeated below. Saturday came and went, Sunday came and I used the final hours of the evening to commit this recording, making up the song on the fly.

#15 Cleaning

It’s a dirty job but someone’s got to do it
It’s a dirty job but someone’s got to do it
It’s a dirty job but it pays the bills
Cleaning gravestones at Père Lachaise
But when the next of kin do not pay it slowly turns into a mess

Rest in peace while leaves fall on your grave
Rest in peace while birds shit on your grave
Rest in peace while tourists bring you flowers
Cleaning gravestones at Père Lachaise
But when the next of kin do not pay it slowly turns into a mess

(words and music by Johannes Schult 2015 Creative Commons by-nc 4.0)

I Love the Dead

This is my entry for the SpinTunes song writing contest (#3, Round 1). The challenge was to write a happy song about death. Happy songs are hard to write. Happy songs about death inevitably turn out ridiculous or super-scary – at least when I write them. I wrote “I Love the Dead” with Christopher Walken’s character from Plots with a View in mind. I also made a little video.

Jutze – I Love the Dead

I love the dead – strictly vocationally
I love the dead – I bury them professionally
So far none of them came back to complain

I’m just a happy undertaker – I aim to please
I’m making sure you’ll get the perfect grave to rest in peace
Sometimes I feel a little bit misunderstood
Because death is my business – and business is good
I love the dead – strictly vocationally
I love the dead – I bury them professionally

This funeral home is the place I call home
And with the graveyard next door I never feel alone
I love the dead – strictly vocationally
I love the dead – I bury them professionally
So far none of them came back to complain

I don’t mean to offend – I just really like my job
I take care of the bodies before they start to rot
I can give you silence – I can give you thunder
Either way you’ll end up six feet under
I love the dead – strictly vocationally
I love the dead – I bury them professionally
I love the dead – strictly vocationally
I love the dead – I bury them professionally
This is the grave digger’s delight

(words and music by Johannes Schult / 2011 Creative Commons by-nc)